TANZANIA, African Wildlife Up Close, Guest Post by Owen Floody

Playful lion cubs, Lobo area of Serengeti National Park

In December 2012, our friend Owen Floody went to northern Tanzania, traveling with his wife, several friends, and a guide.  They stayed in tent camps and lodges and visited Tarangire National Park, Lake Manyara National Park, the Seronera and Lobo regions of Serengeti National Park, Ngorongoro Crater and the Ndutu region of the Ngorongoro Conservation Area, going out each day to view the scenery and wildlife.  Owen’s photographs of the trip are superb—he is more than lucky—he is a talented photographer.  In 1971, when Owen and my husband Art were graduate students studying animal behavior, they were partners in a field research project studying Uganda kob (a kind of antelope) in Queen Elizabeth National Park in Uganda. (See my post for May 16, 2011.)  Owen has been back to Africa several times since then. Here is a short reflection on his most recent trip and a few of his amazing photographs. 

Elephant calves playing in the mud, Tarangire National Park

Owen's post:  In my opinion, a worthy goal on wildlife-oriented trips is to be grateful for what you're given, the latter being something that will never be completely under your control.  But it is nice to have the luck required to eliminate any suspense regarding your success.  On our most recent trip to northern Tanzania, in East Africa, we were so lucky that even our bad luck turned good.  

Stormy skies over the African savannah, Lobo area of Serengeti NP

I had timed this trip to avoid the rains, but this was not to be: We had some rain on most days, sometimes turning park tracks into what looked more like canals.  Fortunately, this did not faze our vehicle or guide, who somehow managed to keep us moving through everything but the aardvark burrow.  And in return for those rains we got two unexpected benefits.  One was the wonderful stormy skies that help to set off some of my favorite landscape photos. The other was the absence of potentially choking dust.  Initially, we greeted a short stretch of dry days with pleasure.  Quickly, however, we noticed the tracks becoming dustier and dustier, and found ourselves wishing for a return of the rains.  In moderation, of course.

Yawning hippo, Ndutu area of Serengeti National Park

Our luck also was good in all of the more obvious ways.  We saw great sights, including leopards lounging in trees, elephant calves and lion cubs at play (not with each other, unfortunately), lions and vultures cleaning up a kill, and hippos defending their spaces.  In some cases, we even were the first to come upon these sights, and so had them completely to ourselves for part or all of the time.

Cantankerous vultures, Ndutu area of Serengeti National Park

Though I speak of luck, I know that part of this is skill--mainly on the part of our guide--and another part attitude.  The broader your interests, the "luckier" you will be.  We were happy to see members of the "big five" (lions, leopards, elephant, buffalo and rhino--deemed to the top of the list for most tourists) but were as delighted to see attractive birds and vegetation. 

Lounging leopard, Seronera area of Serengeti National Park

Fortunately for us and others like us, there are lots of great birds out there, and you're likely to see many of them if you make the effort.  And the vegetation is least likely of all to get away from you (and surest to benefit from any rain).  Sometimes you'll even find small creatures hiding in or near it. 

I encourage you to take advantage of these opportunities and plan your own safari.  Be sure to make at least some of your own luck. 

Baobab tree with giraffe in distance, Tarangire National Park

Owen's trip began and ended in the town of Arusha, in northern Tanzania.  The group stayed in three places during the two week trip:  Lobo Wildlife Lodge in Serengeti National Park; Ndutu Safari Lodge in the southwestern Serengeti area near Olduvai Gorge; and Ngorongoro Farm House in the Ngorongoro Conservation Area.